Safety device for hoisting mechanisms.



' No. 810,189. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906 W. COOPER.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOISTING MECHANISMS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOH mum G 0 Wet,

A 7TOHNE Y PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906. W. COOPER. SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOISTINGMECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1904.

4 sinus-sum a.

mm M. Ma. B n m 8 m mmm fiwn MO I mm. 3 & 5. M. Mr .r m@ E M. O u mm H n3 o R m m w mm n n 2 m. mm :m E

W TNE SSE S:

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

W. COOPER. SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOISTING MECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED HAY5,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

. E own Nn m ad H 4 9 N ::::::::::::',1:::f:::::::::"rr::::: W u nfl w ww 0 a m a a. w a a W W m 6m mm mm m w n w mm mm Q m, m dmm m @w //8%@ arm o 00 TN Mb. 2 B M 2 8 E 8 W/ TNESSES:

position. valve mechanism in its operative position UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM COOPER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HOISTING MECHANISMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed May 5, 1904. Serial No. 206,432.

plied to a mineshaft,showing a vertical section through the mine-shaftand actuating mechanism located above the same and also of thebrake-cylinder, the main cylinder being partially broken away for thesake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a front elevation show ing thecontrlling-valve and brake-cylinder in vertical section with handbraking mechanism omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a plan ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the hand braking mechanism being likewiseomitted. Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but showing the mechanismin its operative Fig. is a vertical section of the similar to that shownin Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional View along the line VI VI in Fig. 5 andshowing the valve-plug in the position shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 7 isasection along the line VII VII in Fig. 5, showing the valve in theposition shown in Fig. 6.

My invention, generally stated, consists in a novel and useful safetydevice for use in connection with. hoisting mechanism of any kind.

More specifically, it comprehends means for stopping automatically amine-bucket or other hoisting-receptacle over which control is lost bythe engineer at a predetermined point. In effecting this I automaticallyshut off the power from the hoisting mechanism, apply a brake to thecable-drum to prevent the bucket from descending, and in case ofmechanism. driven by power under pressure relieving the power within themechanism, and thuseffecting a practically immediate stop.

The following is a description of the accompanying drawings, which are,however, merely illustrative of the principles of my invention. Thehoisting-engine which I have shown is of the type wherein the cable drumor spool is operatively connected to the main or driving shaft byintermeshing gears or friction-wheels.

1 is the main or driving shaft, which is suitably journaled in theengine-frame 2 in the usual manner.

3 3 are the main cylinders, mounted on the engine-frame and whosepiston-rods 4 4 are connected, by means of slides 5 5 and con'necting-rods 6 6, to the wrist-pins 7 7 of crank-wheelsS 8, which arerigidly attached in the usual manner to the extremities of main shaft 1,by which means said shaft accomplishes a half-rotation for every singlepiston-stroke.

9 9 are the steam-chests, and 10 10 the valve mechanism operated fromthe main shaft 1 by means of eccentrics 11 11 in the usual manner.

12 is the drum-shaft, suitably ournaled in the engine-frame 2 in theusual manner, and 13 is the cable drum or spool, rigidly mounted on saidshaft and rotatable therewith.

14 is the cable, partially wound on drum 13 and extending thence oversheave 15 down into the mine-shaft 16. The sheave 15 is journaled on thegallows-frame (not shown) in the usual manner. 17 is the bucketsuspended by said cable 14.

18 is a gear-wheel loosely mounted on shaft 12, but capable of beingthrown into rigid connection with said shaft or the drum 13 at will bymeans of a friction or other character of clutch. (Not shown.)

19 is a second gear rigidly mounted on main shaft 1 and meshing withgear 18, thus rotating said gear and with it the cable-drum when theclutch mechanism is thrown into operation. The relative speed of thedrum and the main shaft is regulated by the comparative sizes of saidgears.

20 is a circumferential friction-surface integral with or rigidlyattached to drum 13, and 21 is a band-brake surrounding the same andprovided with wooden bearing-blocks 21 21 and capable of bearing thereonwhen said brake is tightened. 20 20 are retaining-flanges to hold saidbrake in place. One extremity of band-brake 21 is attached to piston 22,which is capable of movement in vertical cylinder 23 and against thehead of which it is normally held by means of coiled spring 24,contained in said cylinder, or other convenient means. The otherextremity of said band-brake is extended through a slot 22 in piston-rod22 to a pivotal attachment with hand-lever 25, which lever is pivoted tothe engine-frame at 26 and also provided with quadrant 27, rigidlyattached to the engine-frame and spring pawl mechanism 28.

It is the custom in lowering the bucket to throw off the clutchconnection between gear 18 and drum 13, allowing the bucket to descendby its own weight and that of the cable. By throwing back thebrake-lever to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1 the engineertightens the band-brake 21 against the surface 20, thus controlling therotation of the drum 13, the piston 22 bearing against the head ofcylinder 23, forming the fixed point for the brake.

29 29 are the steam-pipes supplying the steam-chests 9 9, and 30 is themain steampipe connected to the boiler. 31 isthe usual throttlecontrolling said steam-line. 32 32 are petcocks adapted to drain thecylinders 3 3 and operated by rigidly-attached levers 32 32 pivoted toconnectingrods 33 33.

34 is a rock-shaft journaled in-the engineframe 2 and fitted at itsextremities with rigid cranks 35 35, which are pivotally connected toreciprocating connecting-rods 33 33.

36 is a foot, tread, or other lever rigid with rock-shaft 34, so that bydepressing the outer end of said tread 36 toward the left in Fig. 1 theengineer may open the petcocks 3232 and drain the cylinders 3 3.

37 37 are the shaft-doors, which are normally kept closed, beingsuitably cut away at their abutting edges to allow the free passage ofthe cable 14. Said doors are provided with rods 38 38 rigidly attachedthereto and suitably journaled to the floor of the shafthouse.

39 39 are counterbalances attached to-t'he doors 37 37.

40 40 are cranks rigidly attached to the adjacent extremities of rods 3838.

41 41 are secondary doors which are pivoted by means of rods 42 42,rigidly attached to said doors andjournaled, as at 43 43 on sup port 44,carried by the gallows-frame. (Not shown.) These doors are located farenough above the mouth of the shaft 16t'o permit the operation anddumping of the bucket 17 below the same without interfering.

45 45 are segmental gears rigidly attached to the extremities of rods 4242 and intermeshing with each other, so that the'opening and shutting ofthe doors 41 41 is uniform and steady. It is evident from Fig. 1' thatwhen said doors 41 41 are in their closed position they preferably donot lie flat, as do the shaft-doors 37 37, but assume the inclinedposition shown in said figure. Their abutting edges are cut away at 4646 to allow the passage of the cable 14- and the hand of a miner ridingin the bucket, who would in such case clasp the cable to steady himself.

47 47 are cranks rigidly attached to rods 42 42 and provided at theirouter ends with wrist-pins 48 48, which engage the longitudinal slots 4949 in the upper extremities of connecting-rods 50 50 whose lowerextremities are pivotally connected to the free ends of cranks 4O 40. I

It is evident that where the shaft-doors 37 37 are opened, as shown inFig. 1, the passage of bucket 17 through doors 41 41 opening them wouldcause cranks 47 47 to depress connecting-rods 5O 50, thus shuttingshaftdoors 37 37, as shown in Fig. 4. However, the closing of doors 4141 does not operate to open shaft-doors 37 37, as the slots 49 49 permitthe cranks 47 47 to be turned into the raised position shown in Fig. 1without drawing up the connecting-rods 50 50.

51 is the dumping mechanism of the usual type, which is hooked into eye52 on the bucket 17 to dump the same.

In the main steam-pipe 30 I inserta valvecase 53, which is provided witha horizontal plug-seat 54, a port .55 leading from the boiler end of thesteam-line 30, and a port 56 leading into the engine end of the saidsteamline. 57 is a horizontal port leading from said valve-seat half-waybetween ports and 56 and preferably of reduced size.

58 is a circumferential passage within the casing 53 adjacent to thefront of the plugseat 54 and connected withthe interior of saidplug-seat by means of two ports 59 59 which are adjacent to ports 56 and57, respectively. I

The hollow plug 60 is provided with the usual passages 61 and 62,registering with ports 55 and 53, respectively, when the valve is 0 en,as in Fig. 6, and a third passage 63 lial -way between the passages 61and 62. In the exterior surface of said plug opposite to passage 63 is alongitudinal groove 64.

65 is an escape leading from circumferential passage 58 to the open air.

66 is a steam-pipe leading from port 57 t the head of cylinder 23.

67 is a petcock which may be inserted in steam-pipe 66 to exhaust thesame.

When the plug 60 is in its open position, (shown in Fig. 6,) the steampasses uninterruptedly through port 55,, 'passages 61 and 62, and port56 along the steam-line to the engine, passage 63 is closed by theinterior surface of the valve-seat 54, the groove 64 (shown in Fig. 5)has been rotated a quarterturn toconnect the port 57 and the port 59,(also shown in Fig. 5,) which port 59 in turn connects by means ofcircumferential passage 58 to the exhaust 65, thus exhausting all powerin steam-line 66, and by releasing piston 22 to allow to rise-incylinder 23 releasing the band-brake 21 from the bearing-surface 20 ofthe drum 13. Thus if the throttle be turned on steam would be applied tothe engine and the brake removed and the bucket hoisted. However, if thevalve-plug 60 be rotated at quarter-turn to the position shown in Fig.5' the passage of steam. through the main line would be inter- IIOrupted. The steam entering the valve-casing from the boiler end of thesteam-line would pass from port 55 through passage 63 in the plug intothe interior of the plug and thence through passages 61 into port 57 andthence into steam-pipe 66, which would convey the steam to the upperface of piston 22 in cylinder 23, depressing the piston and applying theband-brake to the cable-drum. The pressure of steam which would normallyin such case be imprisoned in the engine end of steam-pipe 30 and in thesteam chests and cylinders would tend to continue to operate until itbecame used up, which would result in several revolutions of the engine.However, with this valve mechanism this imprisoned head of steam ispermitted to escape by exhausting back through port 56 in thevalve-casing, grooved passage 64 in the valve-plug, port 59,circumferential passage 58, and exhaust 65.

The valve-plug 60 is preferably tapered to fit the plug-seat and isretained in place by any convenient means, such as washer 68 and nut 69.The other extremity of said plug is preferably squared to enter into andengage the interior of squared key extremity of shaft 70. The said shaft70 is journaled to fixed framework, (not shown,) such as the framing ofthe engine-room, by any suitable means, such as bracket 71. 72 is acrank or arm rigid with said shaft 70. 73 isa connectingrod pivoted atits upper end to arm 72 and provided at its lower forked end withlongitudinal slots 74 74. 75 is a rigid arm on rock-shaft 34 and isprovided with a wristpin 76, engaging in slots 74 74 of rod 73. Thuswhen shaft 70 is rocked, raising arm 72 a quarterturn, theconnecting-rod 73 by raising arm 72 rocks shaft 34, and consequentlyopens the petcocks 32 32 of the cylinders 3 3 through the connectionsabove described.

77 is a second rigid arm on shaft 70, which is pivotally attached to theupper extremity of connecting-rod 78, whose lower extremity is in turnpivotally connected with arm 79, which arm is rigidly connected withrockshaft 80. Rock-shaft 80 is provided with hollow squared keyextremities 81 81, which engage the squared ends of plugs 82 82 ofL-valves 83 83, which are attached to and connected with the steam-chest9 9. Thus the same movement of shaft 70 which closes the three-way valvein the steam-line 30 and opens the petcocks 32 32 of the cylinders 3 3also raises arm 79 and rocks shaft 80, thus opening the L-valves 83 83and exhausting the steam contained in the steam-chest 9 9. Therefore,the parts being properly assembled, the closing of the three-way valvein the main steam-line cuts oil the steam-supply to the main cylinders,exhausts the steam in the steam chests and cylinders, and applies theband-brake to the cable-drum, thus causing the hoisting mechanism tocome to a practically immediate stop.

84 is a rigid crank attached to shaft 70 and provided with an integralwrist-pin 85.

86 is a lever provided with a longitudinal slot 87 at its lowerextremity, which slot is engaged by wrist-pin 85. At its upper end saidlever is pivoted to connecting-rod 88, which extends to one of the doors41 and is pivoted at its end to arm 89, rigidly attached to rod 42 ofsaid door.

90 is a fixed pivot attached to the permanent structure, (not shown,) towhich lever 86 is attached by means of slot 91 in said lever engagingsaid pin or pivot 90.

The levers and arms are so regulated and pivoted that an eighth-turn ofarm 89, and consequently door 41, will produce a quarterturn of shaft70, and the parts are so assembled that when the doors 41 41 are intheir closed position (shown in Fig. 1) the threeway valve is open,permitting steam to pass uninterruptedly to the engine, the cylinderpetcocks and steam-chests, exhaust-valves being closed and thepower-brake released. When, however, the doors 41 41 are raised aneighth-turn, the passage of steam through the steam-line to thesteam-chests is interrupted, the engine end of the steam-line exhaustedthrough exhaust 65, the cylinder petcocks and L exhaust-valve of thesteam-chests open and the band-brake applied, immedi ately stopping theengine and locking the bucket stationary. The slotted connections oflever 86 are intended to permit the adjustment of the lever to the workrequired and the transmission of the thrust of the connecting-rod 88into the rocking of arm 84 without binding.

As before stated, the object of my invention is to prevent accidents.Frequently control is lost over the hoisting mechanism in raising abucket loaded with miners or .ore, or both, running the bucket up intothe sheave 15, and wrecking things generally. The power being still onthe probable results are complete destruction of the hoisting mechanismand the precipitation of the bucket and contents down the shaft. Thishas been a most frequent accident attended with great loss of life anddamage to property. By the use of my invention if the hoisting mechanismruns away or anything happens to the engineer, leaving the machinerywithout con trol, the bucket ascends until it strikes the doors 41 41,the opening of the doors 37 37 by the ascending bucket not havingdisturbed the doors 41 41.

To guide the bucket against the doors 41 41 I prefer to provide adownwardly-extend ing and flaring circular hood 92 beneath said doors.When the bucket forces said doors 41 41 open, the operationautomatically closes the shaft-doors 37 37, as shown in Fig. 4, thuspreventing any dumping of the contents of the bucket down the shaft. Atthe same time the opening of the. doors shuts off the steam in thehoisting mechanism, exhausts immediately all steam-pressure in theengine, and clamps the brake on the drum,

3 thus stopping the ascension of the bucket immediately and locking itin a stationary position. (Shown in Fig. 4.) It is evident thereforethat I accomplish three useful results jfirst, stopping the ascension ofthe bucket immediately and positively; second, preventing its descent,and, third, covering the mouth of the shaft.

I have shown in detail a convenient form of three-way valve for use inmy mechanism; but it will be understood that any convenient and suitablevalve mechanism either combined in a single casing or otherwise adaptedto control the different steampas sages may be substituted, or, again,the rockshaft may be attached to the main instead of a specialcontroller-valve; but I prefer the construction shown.

The various functions of the safety mech anism are described asautomatically working in unison; but it is evident that distinctbeneficial results are obtained either by shutting off the steam fromthe hoisting mechanism, exhausting the pressure within the mechanism, orapplying the brake. 'I therefore do not limit myself to the operationsworking in unison, but desire to protect the separate results obtained.If desired, by a slight change evident to those skilled in the art asingle shaft-door or other cover may be used instead of the twin doorsshown, and such door or doors may be arranged to close flat, as shown,or. at an incline, as shown in connection with the operating-doors. Saidoperating-doors may also be arranged to lie flat when in operativeposition, (shown in connection with Fig. 1,) or one door may besubstituted therefor. However, I do not wish to limit myselfto the useof a door alone, but any device of convenient form adapted to beoperated by the rising bucket may be substituted. I have shown. a bucketas used in a vertical shaft; but it is apparent that any sort of ahoisting-receptacle or elevator may be substituted, and the shaft orelevator passage need not be vertical, as my safety device may beapplied to a slope mine wherein a car or receptacle of any character maybe used for hoisting purposes.

I have illustrated my device as applied to steam-driven mechanism but itis evident that it may be applied with ease to machinery operated bycompressed air or other power.

throttle My actuating mechanism(shown attachedto the gallows-frame) mayalso. be readily applied to the control of any character of hoistingmechanism, such as electrically-driven means, wherein the power-circuitmay be conrolled by my safety device.

I claim broadly 1. In hoists, hoisting mechanism, a device forcontrolling said hoisting mechanism, a hoisting-receptacle operated bysaid hoisting mechanism, "doors pivoted so as to extend substantiallyacross the path of said hoistingreceptacle so that the ascensionof saidhoisting-receptacle beyond a predetermined point swings said doorsupwardly and outwardly, operative connection between said doors andother operative connection between said doors and said controllingdevice sothat the engagement of said doors by said receptacle actuatessaid controlling device.

2. In hoists, hoisting mechanism, adevice for stopping said hoistingmechanism, a hoisting-receptacle operated by said hoisting mechanism,swing-doors pivoted on opposite sides of the path of saidhoisting-receptacle and normally projecting into said path so that theascension of said receptacle beyonda predetermined point swings saiddoors outwardly and upwardly, segmental gears rigidly carried by saiddoors and intermeshing and operative connectionbetween said. doors andsaid stopping device so that the engagement of said doors by saidreceptacle actuates said stopping mechanism.

3. In hoists, hoisting mechanism, a device for stopping said hoistingmeeh anism, a hoisting receptacle operated by said hoisting mechanism, apair of swing-doors pivoted at opposite sides of the path of saidhoisting-receptacle and normally extending substantially across the sameso that the ascension of said-receptacle beyond a predeterm ned pointswings said doors upwardly and outwardly, a cone-shaped guide adapted:to lead said receptacle into proper engagement with said doors,intermeshing segmental gears rigidly attached to said doors andoperativeconnection between said doors and said stopping device so that theengagement of said doors by said receptacle operates saidstoppingdevice.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. this 19th day of April, 1904.

WILLIAM COOPER.

I/Vitnesses:

EDWARD A. LAURENCE, C. LUDLow LIVINGSTON.

